Fog
by xoxOdile
Summary: Nine years after she left, Kagome returns back to the small town she grew up in. But the menace that haunted her through childhood returns with a vengeance, and to save the ones she loves, she must face her nightmares one final time. AU, Mystery
1. Blood

**Fog**

Chapter One: Blood

_

* * *

The vow was said_

_The prayers were read_

_But in the morn_

_They all fell dead_

_

* * *

__The door is shaking with the brutal, relentless pounds from the vicious creatures waiting outside. It won't be long now. I write this in blood, my own blood, as I have long before run out of ink. And this way they won't get me alive, or any other member of my family. My wife and children cower in another room, scared of the unearthly beings tempted to our life source. My loved ones know not what's coming to them._

_As the current chosen one of the Higurashi family line, I can feel generations of slayers looking down on me with scorn and disgust as I ready myself for what I am about to do. But we must never let ourselves be drawn to their side, even if (life myself) we must turn to suicide as an escape._

_Mt dear Kagome, my first-born, if ever you should read this please read carefully and take heed. You are my eldest child, and therefore have inherited this precious gift. You shall be the only one to survive the outcome of this event, as I must take not only your mother's life and my own, but your little brother Souta's too. It's too dangerous to let him live; you must never have any living family through which they (through which she) can get to you with. I hear your cries in the other room. You are scared. Right now, you are too young to understand, but someday you shall. Someday._

_I can hear the door's weak frame beginning to splinter, and their hunger grows stronger. It is now that I must act. My beloved family, please forgive what I am about to do._

xox

When the door to the small cottage finally gave, and in poured a wave of snarling, hungry Vampyres, the scent of stale blood filled their nostrils.

"He's killed himself," growled one. "The cowardly bastard."

Nodding in agreement, another spoke up. "And his family too, by the looks of things."

"Fools!" thundered a third. "Can you not hear that pulse? Someone else is still alive!"

As the room felt silent, indeed they could feel another heartbeat. It was quick, scared, and came from the room adjacent to the first one. Blood lust quickly returning, they crowded into the small, death-reeking room, and grinned at what they saw.

Amid the bloodied bodies of a man, woman, and toddler, stood a small child, all but shaking in her laced-up boots. Her blue eyes were lifted imploringly upon the contorted faces of her audience, as if she could find the explanation for what had happened there. Before they could do anything, however, a murmur passed through the undead, and one by one they shifted out of the way of a small, white figure. The Vampyre Queen studied the girl intently for a moment, before her gaze shifted down to the bloodied parchment she held in trembling hands. The Queen quickly retracted.

"Don't touch her," she said, her voice strangely childlike and emotionless. "She's Higurash's successor."

Another murmur rumbled through the crowd, only this time it was more of a growl. Reluctantly they pulled back, sending hate-filled glances in the young girl's direction. The last Vampyre snarled at her, and made as though he would bite her. When she cringed and stepped back, he laughed humourlessly.

"So it was said," his voice was tauntingly sarcastic. "So it shall be." And with that he turned and left her there alone, until a "rescue" team of the remaining survivors found her.

Four-year-old Kagome Higurashi never forgot it.

xox

The tour bus sped smoothly along the old highway, passing ancient withered evergreens and thick forestry. A young woman with raven black hair and eyes a peculiar shade of gray and blue sat on the left side, peering desolately out the tinted window. She seemed about 21, but the dark bags under her pretty eyes (proving that she hadn't slept in a few days) made her seem older. A black duffel bag rested at her feet, and she clutched a side-sling purse lightly in her pale hands.

Outside, the overcast sky trembled with the forewarning of a thunderstorm. Raindrops splashed against the window, further blurring the already bleak view outside. A sign grew larger with the nearing of the bus. The woman blinked, and then squinted her eyes to read it.

**Welcome to the town of Waken**

**Population: 10 501**

Fully alert now, she chewed her bottom lip to calm the pounding of her heart. She was back. Absentmindedly, she wondered if anyone remembered her.

_Of course they do… I was only 12 when I left._

There was no difference in the scenery before and after the entrance to Waken, and the bus continued at its regular speed. For ten more minutes the bus continued along it's way; the few sleepy passengers who'd traveled this far beginning to wake up, sensing their destination was near. Finally, after passing one or two lone cottages (reduced to shambles), the bus slowed down, and the first glimpse of civilization was privileged after many long hours.

The woman's expression changed for a fleeting moment as the ghost of a smile lit up her face. But it was quickly replaced by anxiety. Had they remembered to send someone to pick her up? And if so, who?

Slower the bus went, now entering a small downtown area. It passed by stores and small businesses that looked untouched by time. But for as long as she could remember, it had always been that way. The green rooftop of the bus terminal approached, and the bus halted to a slow stop. Only three other people beside herself had ventured along this trip; an older woman whose blond hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders; a young man (who'd eyed her for most of the trip) with a shock of brown hair and eyes; and a young albino child. It was the child who'd struck her the most; that creepy, glassy-eyed stare really got to you. The other passengers stretched and retrieved their things, but she simply sat. Her whole body was trembling and her heart pounded. She shouldn't have come back here.

"Miss?"

The woman looked up to see that other young man staring down at her, a concerned frown on his face. "Are you ok?"

She cleared her throat. "Yes… yes I'm fine. Thanks."

He smiled, and held out his hand. "I'm Hojo, Hojo Yumarata."

She smiled back, taking his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Hojo."

A light blush covered Hojo's cheeks. "May I ask your name…?"

Just then she happened to glance out the window, and spy a familiar red car; one she hadn't seen in nine years. Quickly gathering her things, she hopped up and sped down the narrow aisle to the front of the bus, calling over her shoulder as she went, "Sorry Hojo. Maybe I'll see you some other time."

The terminal was small, dank, and unused. Only one car was parked there, an old red Mazda. The driver was hard to see, at least until the door was flung open and the stale air was filled with the happy screeches of reunited friends.

"Kagome? Oh my god it _is_ you!"

Kagome smiled at her best friend. She and Sango had known each other since birth, and the girl had not changed one bit. She still held her chocolate brown hair up high in a ponytail, and she still wore green and pink. The only differences were sharp pants replaced the flowing skirt, and a form fitting blouse was worn instead of the old loose shirt. Her face had matured too; the softness was gone and she wore magenta eye shadow to accentuate her deep brown eyes. She still maintained her tall, willowy figure, once despised but now also highlighted. Sango had been on of the only three people Kagome had been close friends with back in elementary school.

"You've changed so much! I'm so glad you're back," cried Sango, enveloping Kagome in a bone-crushing embrace. Tears rose to Kagome's eyes, and for a moment she forgot why she had come back in the first place.

"How are Kohaku and Souta?" she asked, when Sango finally let go.

"They're fine," replied the taller girl, opening her car trunk and popping Kagome's luggage in. "I think Souta's really excited to see you again. The last time was when he visited you three years ago."

Kagome remembered. Souta had been a gangly young 14 year-old. She was incredibly mature for 18; living on her own with a part-time job to support her University education. It was the summer, and Sango's mother (Souta's guardian) had thought it would be good for the boy to visit his elder sister. It was one of the best summers she could remember.

Kagome crossed to the opposite side of the Mazda and opened the door. Sango sat down in the driver's side, buckled her seat belt, and started the engine. As it warmed, the two caught up on old times.

"I can't believe your mom still has this old thing."

"Well when you grow up in a small town like this you tend to keep things for generations…"

"But cars?"

"Well excuse me miss 'Drove-up-here-in-a-bus'!"

Kagome laughed, prompting Sango to laugh too. The car pulled out of the terminal, and onto the quiet street. Kagome cleared her throat, attempting to calm her churning stomach.

"So how's Miroku?"

Surprisingly, a blush covered Sango's face. "Oh… um… he's, you know, ok. I mean he's good. Yeah, he's good."

Kagome's eyebrows floated upwards. "What's going on?" she probed.

The other girl gulped audibly, then turn a few new shades of red, before finally deciding to spit it out. "I think… I think… I think I might be, um in… love with him?"

The last part came out meekly, and Kagome choked. "You? You're in love with Miroku? The lecher? The one you swore you hated back in grade 2?"

Sango laughed nervously, turning the car onto an old, dirt road. The rain was falling heavier now, and it added to the anxiety Kagome was feeling. As if sensing her friend's thoughts, Sango cleared her throat, then said, "Aren't you wondering about Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha Takahashi, the last member of their group. Both boys were a year and a half older than the girls, and at the time Kagome left Inuyasha was 13 nearing 14. It was no secret between Sango and herself that she'd had a huge crush on him, in fact the only one who didn't seem to know was Inuyasha himself. For being such an alert, bright, athletic young half-demon, he was really quite clueless.

For a moment Kagome said nothing. Then, "Well, of course I was. I mean, the last time I saw him was when you guys saw me off at the terminal." She deliberately avoided the topic of her crush on him, and Sango (alert as always to her feelings), did not press.

Thick woods blanketed the view of any houses. In fact, the only clue that there were any forms of housing here were the thin, scraggly lanes that peeled of the main road, and rusty mailboxes with a number and a last name.

As the car fell into comfortable silence, Kagome read the names, readjusting herself to small-town life. Everyone knew everyone, and even after all these years she still remembered some of the names.

Miko, Ookami, Williams, and Tremblay were of the few they passed. At number 25, "Taijiyya", Sango turned onto the smaller, rockier road. The trees grew tall here, blocking out the overcast sky, and the forest was eerily silent. Kagome shivered. Growing up, she'd always found the surrounding forestry of Waken creepy and fascinating. As an adult, she noticed, the feeling hadn't changed.

Finally, a large, comfortable-looking cottage came into view. Sango's family was rich, she remembered. Kagome smiled to herself, her heart beating with anticipation. She was back! After all these years, she was back…

_You shouldn't have come back. You should never have come back._

Kagome ignored the voice. She was back, and she would stick with it. Then, when all was done and finished, she would return to the city. And everything would be fine.

* * *

A/N: Well, here it is. _Fog_, edited and revised. I think I did a much better job this time on it... Although it seems awfully short. Not to worry, though, I'm already working on chapter four. And for those of you who may be wondering, chapter five of _Labyrinth_ will be out shortly. For your patience, I'll be combining the next two chapters together.

So leave a review, and tell me what you think.


	2. Raindrops

**Fog**

Chapter Two: Raindrops

-Inuyasha and all related characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.-

* * *

_Raindrops on the windowsill _

_Teardrops in my eyes_

_Before a grave I fall to sob a_

_River when you die

* * *

_

xox

The minute Kagome stepped out of Sango's car her lungs filled with the fresh scent of damp forest. A few drops splashed against her skin, feeling cool and refreshing. There was the sharp sound of the driver's side door being shut, locked, then the crunching of feet as they jogged across the dead leaves and dirt. The trunk popped open, her duffel bag was slipped out, and the trunk shut again. Kagome pulled the hood from her jacket over her hair, squinting up into the overcast sky.

Sango appeared beside her, duffel bag tucked under her right arm as she chose the right key. She glanced up to see how her friend was doing, then back down.

"Tired?" she asked.

"Nah," replied Kagome. "I got some sleep on the bus."

A smile tugged at the edge of Sango's mouth, something completely missed by her friend. "That's good."

Selecting the right key, she pulled the girl up the wooden steps and around the side of the house, where she unlocked the back door. A rusty, gas barbeque sat on the right side of the doorway, looking old and unused. Kagome almost felt sad for it.

Finally, the door swung open and Sango ushered the other girl inside. It was dark, something not so surprising to Kagome, and so she groped for the light switch. She remembered it being placed to the left of the doorway, away from the kitchen. She smiled. She had always liked that faceplate with the ridiculous looking stork on it.

Sango had entered from behind her, or at least that's what she thought. Actually, Sango had apparently disappeared.

_Odd._

A chill ran down her spine. Didn't Sango remember that Kagome hated the dark? It had always been that way, even before…

"You shouldn't be here."

The voice was whispered, somewhere to her right, and near her ear. Even so, it was unmistakably female. Breath fanned against her hair, and she felt the pressure beginning to rise up in her chest. Her eyes went wide.

_Not here. Anywhere but here._

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist in a death-like grip. The lights flickered on, and the sounds of about twenty people chorusing, "Welcome Back!" drowned out her scream.

A young man, tall with hair almost as black as her own and eyes merely a whisper of her own shade, gave her a funny look. She blushed. It was the whole experience of being back in Waken that returned not only good memories, but also bad ones. And that whispered voice sent dark shivers through her entire body.

_Must have imagined it._

Seeing that her friend was fine, Sango grinning and walked up to her from the front of the group. She'd been standing next to a tall young man with deep blue eyes and black hair pulled into a small ponytail at the back of his neck. He wore a button up purple shirt, and regular black slacks. His eyes twinkled with mischievousness, and Kagome found herself grinning again despite being frightened out of her wits only moments before.

"Kagome… you remember Miroku, right?" Sango said, noticing the direction of her friend's gaze. Kagome couldn't wipe the grin off her face.

"How could I forget?"

"Ah, Kagome my dear," said Miroku suavely, his voice having matured to a much deeper, smoother tone. "Age has only increased your beauty."

He grasped her hands in his, deep blue eyes reflecting the playfulness she remembered from all those years before. Sango coughed, and he quickly released her, with a sheepish grin in the other girl's direction. By now, the other guests had started to mingle in the house, checking out the large TV in the living room, or the warm stove, or the solid oak walls. A few stayed back to reintroduce themselves to Kagome, just in case she'd forgotten. One of them happened to be the same man who'd grabbed her earlier.

"Koga Ookami," he said grinning and revealing a pair of long canines. "I moved here soon after you left."

"Koga," said Kagome, her soft, melodious voice causing many to strain just to hear her speak. "What kind of demon are you?"

He blinked, then laughed, realizing that this was no ordinary human he was dealing with. "So you can tell. Wolf," he offered with another grin, and a flash of those elongated fangs. They reminded her of someone else.

Sango coughed again, then grabbed Kagome's wrist (still sore from earlier), pulling her into the living room at the front of the house. Large windows faced the porch, path, and trees beyond. Soft, beige sofas were spread around the television, and floaty lace curtains. The entire room was painted a soft shade of yellow. A couple guests looked up as she passed, but returned to earlier conversations. If she was the "guest of honor", she certainly wasn't being treated fittingly.

Sango was muttering something about "perverted monks and wolf demons," but the startled girl behind her didn't quite catch it. Was it only this morning that she'd boarded that bus to travel this far? It was hard to think about.

"Well, well, if it isn't Kagome Higurashi," floated a taunting, feminine voice from behind her. Even Sango paused in her ranting to spin around. A woman who looked about their age, maybe one or two years older, stood with her right hand on her hip, her other cradling a glass of some sort of beverage. Her eyes were a shade of brown so dark they appeared black, and her long, dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail at her shoulder blades. She wore a pair of form fitting jeans, and a low cut white top, but it was her face that had Kagome doing a double take. Apart from her eyes (cold and emotionless pits), she held a remarkable likeness to Kagome. Her skin was slightly paler, and her cheekbones slightly higher, but they could have posed as twins.

"I would have thought that… incident, all those years before would have scared you from returning here anymore," she said with an air of sophistication rare for someone born and raised in a small town such as Waken. "But I guess I was wrong."

Kagome managed a polite smile. "It's nice to see you too, Kikyo."

Kikyo Miko had been Kagome's rival since elementary. Both were popular girls, with good marks and lots of friends. Of course, Kagome always had the one thing Kikyo wanted: Inuyasha. She'd never realized it at the time (having only figured it out on the day of her departure), but for as long as she had Inuyasha's friendship –and his heart--, Kikyo had despised her. And it seemed she still retained those old feelings.

As Sango politely excused them, Kagome inwardly seethed. How dare she bring up what happened in her childhood after all these years of trying to forget it? That was, in fact, the reason she moved away from Waken, even if she wasn't told at the time.

"Sorry about that," said Sango, joining her once again. "I only invited her because I thought you two had resolved your differences when you left."

"So did I," Kagome said flatly.

There was a stir near the doorway, more laughter, and the sound of someone barging in from the wet. Frowning, Kagome completely missed the elated expression on her friends face.

Then, someone walked into the living room. Someone with long silver hair, dripping wet from the rain, deep amber eyes, claws, and a pair of doggy ears perched atop his head. His incredible eyes searched the room until the found her. Kagome felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"Inuyasha!" cried Sango, ushering the wet half-demon towards them. "You remember Kagome? Of course you do, what am I saying? I'll be in the kitchen if anyone needs me."

And with that she literally hopped off, dragging an equally happy Miroku (although probably not for the same reasons) behind her. Inuyasha coughed awkwardly, and Kagome blushed. She wasn't surprised to find out that ten years later she still felt the same way about him.

"So…" he said, trying to break the silence that grew between them like a weed. "Sorry I was late. I was working downtown and—"

He didn't finish because Kagome had thrown herself into his arms, burying her face into his chest. She didn't seem to mind that the wet had seeped past his jacket, and left his shirt damp. Without hesitation he wrapped his arms around her, and for the first time in over ten years, Kagome felt protected.

"Stop talking," she said, her voice muffled by his chest. He held her tighter.

"I missed you," he murmured, softly enough that only she would hear it. Kagome didn't notice that two pairs of eyes watched the two of them with jealousy.

"I missed you too," she whispered back, glad for his extra sensitive hearing. She could picture the dog-ears atop his head swiveling to catch the phrase, and the thought nearly made her giggle.

"I'm so sorry to break up this touching scene, but you promised to drive me home, Inuyasha."

Reluctantly he let her go, looking up to find the source of the distraction. Kikyo stood there, her glass still in her hand, still crystal clean. No lipstick smudged it, no fingers smeared it, in fact it seemed almost untouched.

"I don't remember making any kind of promise like that to you, Kikyo," Inuyasha said, not bothering to even sound polite. His voice too had matured, from the ordinary tenor of youth to the deeper, resonating tones he now used. Unlike Miroku, his tone was rough and downright sexy. "Besides, I just got here. Koga lives near you. If you're so eager to go home, ask him to drive you."

Rejected, Kikyo whirled around in a huff to find Koga, who was in deep conversation with a young, blonde haired woman at the other end of the room. Inuyasha smirked in triumph and looked down at Kagome, only to find that she'd disappeared. A quick glance around revealed Sango, who'd snuck up behind them while he was talking to Kikyo, dragging her away. He would have followed, if Miroku hadn't decided to grope the same blonde girl Koga had been talking to. Inuyasha rolled his eyes as the predictable slap and "Lecher!" followed.

_Guess I have to go rescue his ass again, _he thought. Kagome could wait.

xox

Kagome was experiencing a strange feeling of déjà vu. Here she was, being dragged away from a tall, good-looking demon by a livid Sango, who was muttering under her breath again, however this time for different reasons. She was pulled into the kitchen, then out again because it had no door, then into a dark room at the back.

"…Sango?"

"There are a few things I have to tell you, Kagome," said Sango, lowering her voice, and pulling Kagome away from the light so no one would see her. "A couple of years ago, Inuyasha and Kikyo were dating."

Sango waited for her friend to say something, but she received no response. In the dark it was hard to see the expression on Kagome's face, but she could easily guess what was running through her mind.

And indeed, Kagome's head was filled with a million questions. Inuyasha and Kikyo? Did he ever love her? Did he still love her? Well, probably not, seeing as how he spoke to her before. But what if he was just pretending for Kagome's sake? Was everything he told her the day she left a lie? Or during her absence, did he realize the one he truly loved was Kikyo?

Sango continued. "The relationship lasted less than a month. I never saw him touch her, Kagome. I don't think he ever had real affection for her, so I don't know why he bothered going out with her in the first place. But I do know this; Kikyo left him for a number of reasons. One was his heritage, another was the new man in town, and the third was because he couldn't take his mind off another woman the whole time he was with her."

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself not to cry. "Who was she?" she whispered, glad only Sango could hear her voice crack.

In the dark it was impossible to see the grin on Sango's face. "You. Even during all these years apart, Kagome, I don't think he ever stopped caring for you. And by the looks of it, you haven't either."

xox

It was hours later when the "party" ended. Over the course of the night, Kagome and Inuyasha had revived their old friendship, sharing stories and simply catching up. Of course, Kagome hadn't forgotten what Sango told her, but she chose to put it aside for now. When the time came, she would confront him about it, but that time wouldn't come for a while.

When he left, he tweaked her nose, then playfully called her "wench," something that used to irk her when they were much younger. Now it only made her laugh.

Both Miroku and Inuyasha were the last to leave, Miroku having too much to drink so Inuyasha agreed to drive him home. The next day he'd come back and pick up his car. Kagome had seen both Souta and Kohaku, both of whom towered over her now. She endured a great deal of teasing from her "baby brother" because of it.

At the top of the stairs and straight-ahead were two rooms, the first being a spare room, and the one to the left of that being hers. At the left of the staircase was a nice landing, where Sango's cat Kirara liked to rest at the large window that faced the front yard. Then to the left of that came Sango's room, then the washroom. Both boys had their own rooms in the basement. The walls were painted mint green, and had the same lace curtains that decorated the living room.

Kagome's bedroom was small and comfy, with a springy bed, two dressers, a bedside table and a desk. This room was painted forest green, however there was a strip of wallpaper about three feet high decorated with pictures of trees and the occasional forest animal. The bed had thick, white sheets, with a bedspread decorated with a pattern of all different kinds of leaves. Fluffy pillows, some white, some the same colour as the outside hallway lay at the headboard.

A clock ticked away the time over the desk where a lamp merrily illuminated the personal items Kagome had already taken the liberty of spreading out. An identical lamp sat on her bedside table, as well as a radio alarm clock. One of the dressers, beneath a small window with a view of the western nighttime sky and the silhouettes of tall evergreens, held pictures of their youth. A young Sango stood in full out hockey gear, holding an oversized stick, and missing a couple of front teeth grinning out of one picture. Another was just the two of them, younger still, dressing up and playing with Barbie dolls. Another picture was the four of them: Miroku, Sango, Inuyasha, and herself. Kagome smiled, picking up the picture and wiping the dust off the frame. The four of them had their arms around each other. Sango still had the toothless smile, Miroku smiled with good humour despite the red handprint on his cheek, Inuyasha had that ageless smirk, and Kagome was laughing at something, her blue eyes twinkling.

She replaced the picture with a sigh, then picked up the duffel bag and plopped it on the bed, where it bounced up and down a few times. The top was already unzipped, and so she simply pulled what she needed from it. Her nightshirt and a pair of shorts, toothbrush and toothpaste, and a hairbrush. When she left the room, it was already dark downstairs. However, a light on in Sango's room proved that she wasn't the only one still awake. As she passed her friend's room to get to the washroom, she heard voices as if Sango was speaking to someone on the phone.

"…No… you saw her face… I think she was on the verge of another panic attack. I was so stupid to forget that she hates the dark… then what is?… who would try something like that? She's only just come back…"

Realizing that she was talking about herself, Kagome continued on to the bathroom. So Sango had seen what happened earlier. She was right; Kagome was very near a panic attack. She still remembered that voice, that haunting, female voice so much like one she'd much rather forget.

"Nothing's wrong," she muttered, trying to comfort herself. "It's just a prank. Someone wants me away from here, so they relied on my past to help. Someone like Kikyo."

She opened the door of the bathroom, closed it, and froze. Kikyo. She could have been the one who whispered that message of foreboding to Kagome as she stepped through the door; she certainly had the motive to want Kagome gone. But if that were the case, then why was it Koga who grabbed her wrist?

Kagome rubbed her eyes. _I'm jumping ahead of things._

Ten minutes later, Kagome padded out of the washroom. Sango's light was off, and no voices came from inside her room. She smiled, walked up to the window facing the front, and looked out.

The glass was cool to touch, and Kagome breathed on it, drawing pictures in the fog that covered the glass. Outside it was dark, shades of navy and black spreading across the grounds like a canvas. Clouds covered the sky, preventing any of the stars from being seen. A cold feeling welled up inside her chest. Shivers passed through her body, and all of a sudden the house seemed very quiet, almost as if it were uninhabited. Almost as if…

Kagome closed her eyes, just for a moment. But in that moment she saw through the eyes of a four year old, the blurred images of her mother and father, a baby crying, and searing pain. The metallic smell of blood filled her senses. Then she saw a figure, it was hard to remember, small but intimidating. The room was crowded with what looked like people, but who obviously weren't of the mortal realm. One snarled at her, reached out, and grabbed her wrist. Suddenly, it was Koga holding on to her wrist, but not a Koga like she met. His eyes had lost their colour, the iris and pupil completely disappearing. Blood dripped from his fangs, and he gripped her hand tighter, cutting off her circulation…

Then Kagome opened her eyes, finding herself back in Sango's cottage, facing the window, the silence of the house pressing in around her. She rubbed her wrist, suddenly sore again, and walked to her room, careful not to look out the window.

When she got into bed, she turned the radio on.

* * *

A/N: I'm in a bit of a writing mood today. Hope this chapter was creepy enough. Horror/Mystery fics are pretty fun to write. :P Hopefully this chapter will get more recognition than the last.

Review and let me know what you think.


	3. Waken

Fog

Chapter Three: Waken

-Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all related characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. However, the storyline to Fog is mine and mine alone. :) -

* * *

_For as long as my blood stains your tombstone _

_Your first sight will be forever mist

* * *

_

xox

Kagome woke the next morning, door ajar, and light from the window on the landing creeping into her room. She smiled, forgetting what it was like to wake up without the sounds of the city filling your ears. Sitting up in bed, she flicked off the radio (still running from the night before), and stretched her arms. The smell of eggs and bacon drifted up to her from downstairs, as well as the sounds of conversation.

Kirara, Sango's cat, jumped onto Kagome's bed and nuzzled her in the shoulder. She mewed, announcing that it was time to get up. Kagome absently scratched the purring animal behind the ear and checked the time. 9:00 am. Not bad.

Finally, the smell of breakfast tempted the lethargic Kagome out of bed, into a pair of jeans and a cashmere shirt, and downstairs.

"Hey sleepyhead," greeted Souta from the table, stuffing food into his mouth.

"No talking while you eat!" piped up Sango from the stove, and Kagome simply flicked her brother on the forehead to reinforce the point. Pulling her unbrushed hair into a small bun at the base of her neck with one hand, Kagome grabbed a plate and sat down at the table, pouring herself a glass of orange juice. She helped herself to the food and was happily munching away when the boys got up to go play video games, and Sango sat down next to her friend.

Kagome gulped down her food. "Don't they have work or something?" she said, gesturing with her fork to the retreating figures of both teenagers. Sango laughed.

"It's Saturday," she said, giving her friend a flat look. "They work at the video store downtown from Monday to Friday, and they have the weekends off. But don't worry; we won't have to suffer for long. They probably have some party to go to later on."

Kagome nodded, finishing up her eggs. Truth be told, she was still shaken from the night before. What had happened in front of the window? She'd never experienced something like that before.

Frowning at Kagome's silence, Sango picked up their plates and placed them in the dishwasher. "By the way," she said while washing her hands at the sink. "Inuyasha and Miroku are coming over to pick up Miroku's car."

Kagome drained her orange juice, got up, and put the empty glass in the dishwasher with the plates. "Is that right?" she said, taking over the sink once Sango left.

"Yup," came the response. "Of course I have to do some shopping downtown first, which means you're coming with me. If the guys get here before we'll back, Kohaku and Souta will let them in."

Kagome nodded absentmindedly, forgetting that Sango of course couldn't _hear _her nod, and walked upstairs to brush her teeth and hair.

A little while later, after postponing a few times to fine cell phones and car keys and letting the boys know they were gone, Sango and Kagome sat in the small car, and were speeding up the dirt road to downtown Waken.

The radio blasted out old rock songs to which Sango and Kagome sang along to, despite not knowing the words. By the time they reached the "downtown" portion of Waken, they were laughing like young schoolgirls. Sango pulled the car into the parking lot of the main grocery center in Waken, just shy of the town center.

Downtown Waken wasn't very impressive. It was basically a large circle of stores, with a fountain and benches in the center. Due to the circular construction, many residents of Waken called it "the Circle". Most of the stores were clothing and goods, but there was a bank and a couple other important buildings. Since the grocery store was so large, however, it was built a couple blocks away.

Kagome followed Sango around the store as she picked up more OJ, bananas, cheese, crackers, apples, and other food items that were apparently needed in the house. They were halfway done when an elderly lady with gray hair and an eye-patch stopped them.

"Kagome? Kagome Higurashi?"

Her voice wasn't raspy, but it did have a tired feel to it as if she was almost asleep and didn't want to speak. Kagome nodded, wondering whom this old woman was.

"My name is Kaede Yoshi, I was friends with your parents," she explained, ignoring Sango completely. "I have heard rumours in town that you were back, and did not believe them until I saw for myself."

Kagome smiled and nodded politely, not really wanted to be standing here speaking to an old woman who once knew her parents. She said nothing, waiting for Kaede to finish.

"I assume you have returned for the funeral of your late great-aunt?"

Again Kagome nodded. How quickly the word spread. When they came for her father and his entire line years and years before, they made two drastic mistakes: one they didn't know that her mother's estranged aunt still lived, the other was they never bothered to check if anyone else in that room was still alive with her. It turned out that Souta had survived, but thankfully he never had any recollection of what happened, or how he lost his parents. Mrs. Taijiya took him in as the last wish of Mrs. Higurashi (the two had been close friends). It was only later that Kagome's great aunt revealed herself, but by then Souta had been old enough to choose where to live. When Mrs. Taijiya moved to Tokyo with her husband, Sango took over as the mistress of the household. Souta still thought that his parents had died in a car crash. Soon it would be time to set him straight.

Seeing that she was getting no response from Kagome, Kaede nodded and continued on her way, but not before one last "helpful" piece of information.

"The fog is thicker now. It is not too late to go back."

With that the old lady went on her way, nodding in Sango's general direction, and leaving a pair of puzzled girls behind her.

"What was she talking about?" asked Kagome once Kaede was out of the range of hearing. "I mean I understand that she knew my parents and all, but what did she mean by 'the fog is thicker?'"

Sango shrugged unhelpfully. "Rumour has it that she's not 100 there, if you know what I mean." She made a swirling gesture at her right temple, and Kagome's mouth formed a perfect O in understanding. Deciding to put that out of her mind, she focused on the new subject of interest: the death of her great aunt.

"Her funeral's tomorrow. Are you sure you're up to this?"

Kagome snorted. "'Aunt Gracie' only revealed herself to the rest of the family when she realized that she could bring up her social status by looking after my brother. I met her; she never had any kind of affection for either Souta or me. Frankly, she's a bitch."

Sango nodded. She too had met Kagome's aunt, and disliked her as much as Kagome and Souta did. She was a horrible woman, interested in nothing more than attention for herself. There weren't many people sad to see her go. But the odd thing was, no one actually knew how she died. The police said it was old age. The only problem was she was in her fifties, and was perfectly healthy as far as anyone knew. If it were something simple, like a heart attack, that would be nothing to cover up.

The rest of the shopping trip went by less eventfully, and both girls returned home with armfuls of groceries and a few new outfits each. They entered the house laughing, and neither was surprised when they found Miroku sitting on a couch in the living room watching TV.

"The boys left for some kind of party, and Inuyasha's upstairs in the washroom," he said as a greeting.

"It's nice to see you too, Miroku," responded Sango, putting her backs down on an empty couch, then plopping down beside him and changing the channel. Kagome smiled and walked upstairs, listening to the sound of the two arguing.

"I was watching that!"

"Too bad, my soap opera's on."

Throwing her shopping bags onto her bed, Kagome left her room to walk to the window where she'd stood the night before. She didn't notice when Inuyasha stepped from the washroom, and came up behind her.

"Boo."

Kagome jumped, but before she could whirl around to scold him for scaring the crap out of her, a pair of warm, protective arms wrapped themselves around her. He pulled her back so she rested against his chest, and leaned his head forward so the right side of his face came into contact with the left side of hers.

"Nice view, isn't it," he said softly. Kagome nodded, not trusting her voice to hold up at the moment. Forest blocked any views of civilization, and the silence only accentuated the idea that one was alienated from the rest of the world. The gravel driveway was bordered by sloping green hills, atop of which were tall evergreens. The entire area around Sango's property smelled like wet earth from the rain the day before.

Content in Inuyasha's arms, Kagome closed her eyes. She saw the woods surrounding the cottage; only this time she saw it differently. It was morning, very early morning, and the greenery was covered in dense, thick fog. It spread out and covered everything, creating the illusion that one was looking through a hazy, lethargic mist. The sky and the silhouettes of the surrounding trees were the only things that could be made out, and even then not so clearly, as the sky was still dark. In fact, everything seemed frozen in place. The moon was still out, the sun would not rise, the fog would not lift. The only change was that it got deeper, and deeper, when suddenly a pale hand that seemed to be made from the fog itself reached out and grabbed her wrist.

Kagome's eyes flew open with a silent gasp. Inuyasha quickly released her, concern etched across his features. He heard the slow pace of her heart, then heard it speed up, and now he could smell the fear on her, thick and sour.

"Kagome…?"

Her eyes remained unfocused for a moment or two; the pupils so dilated her blue eyes appeared black. Then she woke up from whatever nightmare she was experiencing.

"I'm ok. I'm fine."

The half demon narrowed his eyes, watching her intently. It was obvious that she was _not _ok, and that she was _not _fine.

"Look, you can either tell me or—"

"I said I'm fine!"

The fire in her eyes stopped him from saying anything more. Instead, he watched as she pivoted on her right heel, and marched downstairs.

xox

"I don't get it. So Leia is really the daughter of Padmé and that guy from Alderaan?"

Sango sighed and shook her head. They'd just finished watching _Star Wars Episode Six: Return of the Jedi_, and Miroku being the blockhead that he was sometimes, still didn't understand. Both Kagome and Inuyasha shared the same pained expression on their faces.

"No, you idiot," Inuyasha said impatiently. "Leia and Luke are both the children of Padmé and Anakin, but had to be split up when Anakin became Darth Vader. So Luke went back to Tatooine, and Leia went to Alderaan. Understand now?"

"Ah," said Miroku, nodding, clearly not understanding since his face was still as confused, it not more than it was before. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and both girls laughed. Since it was a Saturday night, Miroku and Inuyasha had stayed over for supper, then turned on the TV to catch the last installment of a Star Wars special on one of the many movie channels they could get on satellite. Kagome had seen all the movies at least twice, but apparently Miroku hadn't. He did notice something about all the movies, though.

"Now _that's _what I call a woman. I wouldn't mind giving _her_ a – ow!"

Rubbing his arm, Miroku watched Sango storm away with a hurt expression on his face. "What was that for?"

Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged glances, then she got up to follow her livid friend. Inuyasha simply smacked Miroku over the head. "Idiot."

"Sango?"

Kagome found the other girl outside, sitting on a bench located next to the rusty barbeque. Her shoulders shook, and Kagome knew she was crying.

Silently she stole up to the bench and sat down, patting her friend on the back and murmuring comforting words until Sango was finished.

"Kagome I'm so stupid," she sobbed, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "I thought maybe, just maybe, he might have feelings for me."

"It's only a movie, Sango."

"That's not it!" She sniffed, making it sound more like a snort, and turned to face Kagome. Her face was damp and her eyes red, and when she spoke her voice was stuffy. "He's always checking out other girls, and he plays with my emotions like they're nothing at all. He has no consideration for the way I feel!"

Kagome nodded understandingly. Today's little incident was merely the cherry atop the icing. Her face twisted into a humourless smile. "Have you told him how you feel?"

"I've left him clues, but I don't think he cares."

Again the listener nodded, forming a plan. "Listen," she said. "I'll go bring Miroku out here and make him talk to you, ok? Tell him how you feel. You might be surprised by the results."

Before Sango could protest, Kagome was inside the cottage and walking up to both men, still sitting on the couch. Miroku still had a slightly hurt look, but Inuyasha just looked annoyed. She marched up to the former, grabbed him by the sleeve, and yanked him up with a surprising amount of strength for someone her size.

"Outside," she said. "Go talk to her." And she marched him to the door, pushed him outside, then closed it behind him. When she turned back around, Inuyasha looked amused, but not much more.

"What's the verdict?"

Kagome plopped onto the couch next to him, rubbing a hand over her eyes. "I think she's in love with him. But she thinks he doesn't love her because of all the flirting he does."

"He does."

Kagome peered through her fingers at him. He sat facing forward, so she could see him in profile; the strong line of his jaw, the slope of his nose, the way his mouth looked so kissable when he sulked. "He does what?"

"He loves her. Miroku loves Sango." This time Inuyasha turned to her. Kagome could never forget his eyes. They were such an incredible shade of amber, belying the façade of some kind of tough guy. Inuyasha had lost both his parents at a young age, and lived with his half brother until he turned 18, when Sesshomaru kicked him out. Kagome had only met the cold-hearted Sesshomaru once or twice, but now that she thought of him, he reminded her much of what Kikyo had become.

She broke eye contact, not wanting to see something in those eyes that would jeopardize their friendship. Awkward silence filled the room, and neither of them could hear what was going on outside, even Inuyasha with his extra sensitive hearing.

Finally Kagome stood up. "I think I'm going to go to bed."

Inuyasha watched her leave, part of him telling himself to stop her somehow, to return her to his side where she belonged. Almost ten years had passed, he mused silently, and still he wasn't able to forget about her. He still couldn't let her go.

"'Night, Kags." He used his old pet name for her unintentionally, and only realized it when she froze on the stairs. Two beats passed before her soft voice broke the silence.

"'Night… Inu."

* * *

A/N: I'm not sure if I've said this before, but I'm saying it again. Much of the scenery in this story is based off of real places in Northern Ontario (I live in Canada), so it's probably not geographically correct for Japan.


End file.
